Sealed conductive grid capacitive pressure sensor

• US 8,544,336 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2009
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xsensor Technology Corp
• Original Assignee: Xsensor Technology Corp
• Inventors: Main, Ian, Jack, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): JENKINS, JERMAINE L
• Application Number:
  US12/626,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20110120228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 73/724
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/146 for measuring force distributions, e.g. using force arrays G01L1/148 takes precedence

Abstract

A capacitive pressure sensor array is made of two conductive layers, wherein each conductive layer is formed with a plurality of elongated conductors disposed in a substantially parallel manner between an upper and a lower insulating sheet, wherein the upper and lower insulating sheets are bonded to each other between adjacent conductors.

Claims

1. A capacitive pressure sensor array comprising a sealed conductive grid, said grid comprising two conductive layers, wherein each conductive layer comprises:

(a) a flexible upper insulating sheet;

(a) a flexible lower insulating sheet;

(a) a plurality of elongated conductors disposed in a substantially parallel manner between the upper and the lower insulating sheet; and

wherein the upper and lower insulating sheets are directly bonded to each other between adjacent conductors.

2. The sensor array of claim 1 wherein the conductors are not bonded to one of the upper and lower insulating sheets.

3. The sensor array of claim 2 wherein the conductors are not bonded to either of the upper and lower insulating sheets.

4. The sensor array of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the upper and lower insulating sheets are bonded to each other by a heat or other bonding technique.

5. The sensor array of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of dielectric strips, wherein each dielectric strip is disposed between a conductor of one conductive layer and a conductor of the other conductive layer, or between the upper and lower insulating sheets of one conductive layer, and is not bonded to the conductor or either insulating sheet.

6. The sensor array of claim 1 further comprising a compressible dielectric sheet between the two conductive layers.

7. The sensor array of claim 1, 2, 3, 5, or 6 wherein the insulating sheets are comprised of an elastomer.

13. The sensor array of claim 1 or 8 wherein the parallel direction of the elongated conductors of one conductive layer and the parallel direction of the elongated conductors of the other conductive layer are disposed at an angle to each other.

14. The sensor array of claim 13 wherein the angle is about 90 degrees.

8. A capacitive pressure sensor array comprising a sealed conductive grid comprising two conductive layers, wherein each conductive layer comprises:

(a) a flexible upper insulating sheet;

(a) a flexible lower insulating sheet;

(a) a plurality of elongated conductors;

wherein the upper and lower insulating sheets are bonded together to form a plurality of parallel elongated sleeves and the conductors are disposed within the sleeves.

9. The sensor array of claim 8 further comprising a plurality of dielectric strips, wherein each dielectric strip is disposed between a conductor of one conductive layer and a conductor of the other conductive layer, or between the upper and lower insulating sheets of one conductive layer, and is not bonded to the conductor or either insulating sheet.

10. The sensor array of claim 8 further comprising a dielectric sheet between the two conductive layers.

11. The sensor array of claim 8, 9 or 10 wherein the insulating sheet is comprised of an elastomer.

12. The sensor array of claim 8 wherein the upper and lower insulating sheets are comprised of an elastomer and are bonded to each other by a heat or other bonding technique.